Bug: IOS Chromecast device list truncated

[onejasonforsale]

Tried posting this here:

https://community.spotify.com/t5/Closed-Ideas/iOS-Other-Bug-IOS-Chromecast-device-list-truncated/idi...

Thread was almost immediately closed rather than considered, with directions to post it in "Other Issues" which nobody is allowed to post in - or at least I'm not able to.

Please consider reading this thread and notifying spotify engineering of the issue.

Copy/paste from that thread:

The chromecast device list in "devices" is truncated to five entries. I have five chromecast audio devices in my home, and using the Google Home app I've created two chromecast streaming groups. The groups contain my devices - for example, my "home" group allows me to play my spotify music on all five devices.

The spotify app on IOS only lists up to five chromecast options, and in my setup, I have seven options: five devices, plus two groups.

Reproducing this issue is easy.

Step 1: Use the google home app on IOS to create chromecast groups until there are more than five chromecast groups + devices available.

Step 2: Using the google music app, select the chromecast streaming button on the top right of the app, note that you see all of your groups + devices listed.

Step 3: In the Spotify IOS app, select the "devices available" button at the bottom of the screen. Note that only five chromecast device + group options are listed.

Screenshots exemplifing my issue follow.

In my home setup I have five chromecast devices: "Janes Room", "Guest Bath", "Living Room", "Master Bedroom", and "Master Bath".

I have two chromecast groups: Group "Home" contains all of my chromecast devices listed above, and group "Not Bedroom" contains all devices except for the "Master Bedroom" and "Master Bath" devices.

In the first screenshot shown below, Spotify shows five items, note that the "Home" chromecast group, and "Living Room" chromecast device are missing from the list.

In the second screenshot taken at the same time, the Google Music app shows all seven items (two groups, and five devices).

After the second screenshot. I removed the "Not bedroom" chromecast group from my setup using the "Google Home" app on my IOS device. I then returned to Spotify's devices list.

The third screenshot shows spotify's device list now shows the "Home" chromecast streaming group, but still "Living Room" is missing.

Note that no matter how many times I restart my IOS device, the devices list remains constant as shown in the third screenshot below.

[Mlord1980]

As an update, I’ve been given a case number for the issue which has been forwarded on to another tier of support. I’ll keep this updated as I hear more.

[AussieRo]

Where does one actually report an issue? or, report a bug?,  or get a support ticket?

I looked around with no success. Please do share 🙂

[Mlord1980]

I just used the support chat feature from the Spotify website.

[onejasonforsale]

Additional Note added... Another iOS device in my house with my spotify account on it lists five different chromecasts than my iPhone, but the chromecasts listed on either iOS device is never consistent so I'm still usually stuck unable to play my music in various rooms.

[AussieRo]

Welcome to our nightmare...
Thanks for sharing. 
Are you able to detail your setup?
IOS ver
S/W ver 
etc... ?

[onejasonforsale]

ios ver: latest as of july 10 2018

spotify ver: latest as of july 10 2018

[AussieRo]

It would seem that the more recent IOS version makes no difference, nor does that latest update from Spotify either.

[capstan]

Same problem for me, it's rather annoying and even more annoying is that we don't get any updates on if and when somebody is working on it.

For the records: happens for me with only 2 devices and one group. Seems that the iOS Spotify App scans for devices, limits the devices to the number it found but then overrides individual speakers with groups. As soon as I delete the group it can find all individual speakers again.

No problem on android, though.

Spotify please fix that!

[AussieRo]

"Spotify please fix that!" - echo echo echo echo echo echo echo....

Deaf ears, I'm afraid! 

[Bollatta]

The same for me unfortunately. Deleting a group makes a device previously invisible show up. On iPhone 7 iOS 11.4.1 

[capstan]

Was in contact with Spotify german chat yesterday. They just told me that groups are not supported by Spotify. (I told him twice that it works on Android) can anyone contact the chat again to confirm that?

If that's really the case we would need to add a feature request and vote for it instead of asking for help.

[Bollatta]

The groups I create in the google home app works fine on iOS. It’s in the number of groups and devices visible where my problem is, though the underlying problem might be related to something else. Seems strange not to support groups since it’s the major benefit of using chromecast audio. 

[Bollatta]

After fiddling around a bit in the google home app creating and deleting groups and also powering off chromcast devices I might lean towards groups being the issue here. Groups works, however the total number of devices + groups shown in the app never exceeds the number of devices I have turned on. I have 3 devices. If no groups are present all 3 devices show. If I create a group that group show but one devices disappear, so now 1 group and 2 devices. Powering off one device of course makes that device disappear but it doesn’t allow any other device show. Only 1 group and 1 device now show. I have not investigated what makes a device or group show only concluded no more than the total number of devices show. This was not the case when I started using the chromecasts but some change made this appear sometime April-May. 

If Spotify say groups are not supported then yes, I guess we need to add a feature request. 

[AussieRo]

Have you had any connection with support at Spotify?

Emails? Facebook? In these forums?

Know of any others with the same issue?

[AussieRo]

Groups are supported by Spotify. They work on mine and other users who have offered their feedback on this topic. 

I have a group working on mine. 

Many other apps not only support group playback but have no issues with truncated lists as we are finding with Spotify. 

Unfortunately, it seems to be completely useless bringing up this topic in these forums. Despite 1,000’s of views on this topic over months, NOT ONE Spotify team representative has commented or offered any support or light to this issue. Nothing.  

[AussieRo]

Same issue here. Groups work, however the list gets truncated as soon as the group is created and one of the devices goes missing from the list. 

No word from any support team member despite 1,000’s of post views over months. 

[capstan]

I know that groups do work. The chat support just told, they don't officially support multiroom playback.

Can anyone contact the chat from another country again and ask for this?

[andinho007]

Same issue here.

Posted a few days ago and just figured out that you guys already filled a thread for the same: https://community.spotify.com/t5/iOS-iPhone-iPad/Chromecast-Not-all-devices-listed-in-device-list/m-...

Really anoying issue and from my perspective the "Spotify is not supporting groups" statement is not valid at all. Either Spotify supports Chromecast or not. If they support they also need to support groups.

Is there some sort of process to fill product bugs to get at least a ticket number to be able to track if somebody is working on this obvious bug?

Thanks,

Andreas

[Nyarly]

I wonder if triggering the Chromecast people at Google would help. They
might not like this level of Chromecast support by Spotify either. Although
they might be happy for customers switching to Play Music 😉

[andinho007]

Hi all,

Just got the following response via Spotify Cares on Facebook:

Hey Andreas! It’s not currently possible to see more than 5 devices when using Spotify Connect, but we’ll pass your feedback onto the right folks. You could try disconnecting one of your other devices in order to see the Chromecast Audio device in the list of available devices. We´ll be here if you need any further help.

This underlines what you guys figured out earlier and from my perspective it is really not acceptable if I promote Chromecast support and then limit it done to 5 devices...what kind of multiroom is that?

@Nyarly: Maybe that is a good idea as Google might have an interest in having sufficient support for their products if advertised acordingly.

I created a post in the Google community: https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/chromecast/SCExpfzcqkU

Thanks,

Andreas